Chris Lane killing: newspaper alleges second shooting

Los Angeles: New evidence of a second shooting in Duncan, Oklahoma, just hours before Australian baseballer Chris Lane was gunned down may foil a defence argument the killing was an accident.

One of the three boys charged with Lane's murder, 16-year-old James Edwards, told a preliminary hearing in Duncan earlier this month his co-accused thought the .22-calibre revolver that fired the fatal bullet into Lane's back was loaded with blanks.

Lawyers for the alleged shooter, 16-year-old Chancey Luna, jumped on the testimony, telling reporters after the hearing they were "appropriately satisfied" Lane's death was not pre-meditated murder.

However, The Oklahoman newspaper has reported that two parked cars were shot in Duncan in the lead-up to Lane's death.

"Somebody shot at my car," Noe Sanchez said.

A donkey was also shot in a paddock outside of Duncan hours before Lane was killed, adding to the police theory the boys were on a "killing spree".

Mr Sanchez said his Chevrolet Cavalier's bumper was hit by a bullet and his brother's pick-up truck, also parked outside his house, was hit in the early hours of August 15 or 16.

Lane was jogging along a Duncan street just before 3pm on August 16 when authorities allege a car driven by Michael Jones, 18, and with Edwards and Luna as passengers, came up behind the Australian and Luna fired the single shot into his back.

The 22-year-old from Melbourne, who had a baseball scholarship at Oklahoma's East Central University, died minutes later on the side of the road.

Edwards, who has become a prosecution witness, said at the February 4 preliminary hearing that Jones had told him he and Luna shot the donkey.